From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Nov 3: Shantaram Naik M P will give a fresh proposal to the Department of Archives and Archeology, to carry out the restoration and repair works of the house of the late Joao Agostinho Fernandes popularly known as Pai Tiatrist. Tiatrist, situated at Modsai, Borda, Margao.

Naik who visited house of Pai Tiatrist on wednesday November 3, after hearing the news that one of the walls of the house had collapsed, said in a statement issued today that he has decided to submit the proposal to the government afresh with a plan which the family has got drawn from a private architect.

Naik said that he had sent his proposal earlier to the Chief Minister on September 2, 2008, however since no concrete steps were taken in that regard, he has now decided to submit the proposal afresh with a plan drawn to make the government task easier.

Naik said he has spoken to the Chief Minister Digamber Kamat and the Director of Archives and Archeology Manohar Dicholkar, in this regard.

Naik said that the late Fernandes wrote about 26 tiatrs (Konkani dramas) out of which, 16 were staged. Many scripts of the tiatrist written by Fernandes have been handed over to Goa Konkani Akademy, which are required to be preserved using modern microfilming and or digital technology.

Naik said the house of Pai Tiratrist which is standing on a plot of 400 sq/mts, and which occupies about 200 sq/mts, is a house with mud walls and it has to be repaired and restored to honour the great artist.  Naik said by restoring such houses, the government will be doing a great service to those who have devoted their entire life for a particular art.

During his visit to the house, Naik met the daughter-in-law of Fernandes, Ana Maria Carolina Quadros Fernandes and, daughter Sharmila Fernandes, and Social Activist, Godfrey Gonsalves.